‘Schools with no data will miss out’

By SALLY POKITON
UPNG journalism student
SCHOOLS that have not submitted completed 2011 school census enrolment figures will likely miss the first distribution of tuition-free subsidies, Minister for Education Theo Zurenuoc says.
Zurenuoc said in Parliament last Friday the Department of Education had given the 1,929 elementary and primary schools up to today (Jan 23) to provide the necessary information so that the Bank South Pacific and the education department could process the money due to them.
He said directions had been given to the new education secretary to ensure that no manual cheques were drawn and that all schools must open bank accounts so that fees could be electronically transferred.
Zurenuoc said three volumes of data had been produced for the processing of tuition fee funds.
They are:
l 5,835 schools have submitted their 2011 enrolment figures and operating school bank accounts which account for 52% of the number of schools. The department has begun transferring funds electronically to these schools;
l 3,576 schools that have provided 2011 enrolment figures but do not have operating bank accounts which accounts for 32% of schools known.  These schools either have no bank accounts or have but did not submit them to the Education Department.
l 1,929 schools – which comprise 16% of schools – would not have payments processed to their schools as 2011 enrolment figures have not been provided to the Education Department. They have until today to provide necessary information to BSP and education department.
“I have instructed the secretary to urgently establish the status and existence of these schools before any payment is effected, therefore it is important all school officials front up at the bank and the provincial education office to verify their status,” Zurenuoc said.
He said the second distribution of tuition free (for elementary, primary, and lower secondary schools) subsidy (for upper secondary, national high, and vocational schools) fees would be paid in June/July 2012.
The payment would be  based on 2012 enrolment figures provided by schools through the Department of Education.
“Therefore it is absolutely necessary that all schools must submit their 2012 national education census forms to the Department of Education by April 30, 2012,” Zurenuoc said.